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Traditional orange paper train tickets are set to become obsolete after a major train provider announced it aimed to replace them with mobile phone tickets due to be rolled out on Monday.

Virgin Trains will become the first franchised train company to offer m-tickets across all routes with the tickets set to go on sale for journeys to and from Coventry station this coming week.

Virgin Trains m-ticket (Photo: Virgin Trains)

The tickets work by sending a barcode to a customer’s smartphone when they purchase tickets through the mobile app or the Virgin Trains website. That barcode can then be scanned at ticket barriers.

The company said the m-tickets would be available to Virgin customers travelling on all routes along the east and west coast mainlines. But orange paper tickets will also be available as normal for the time being.

Claire Perry, the government’s rail minister, said: “We want to build a 21st century railway that provides better journeys for all, and much simpler and smarter ticketing is a vital part of that.

“We have been clear that we will support the industry with ticketing innovation but that we also want rail companies to do what is best for their passengers, without government interference.

“The expansion of mobile tickets means more Virgin Trains customers can enjoy the benefits of this new technology, and it will help us get rid of outdated paper tangerine tickets.”

Virgin Trains m-ticket (Photo: Virgin Trains)

Virgin Trains said they would become the first franchised rail operator to offer m-Tickets for all ticket types and across all routes as they moved towards eliminating the orange ticket completely.

Graham Leech, group commercial director at Virgin Trains, said: “We always want to be on the side of passengers and make their experience with us the best it can be.

“That’s why we love innovating for our customers, which is why we were the first train company to introduce automatic delay repay and why we’re now the first franchised operator to bring in m-Tickets in this way.”